This dissertation will apply a political culture model and an organizational process model to the analysis of policy in the technology assessment and transfer policy area. Drawing from many strands of social science literature, this dissertation will add a new conceptual lens to the analysis of policy choice by focusing on the symbolic environment surrounding the issue of the federal role vis-a-vis biomedical research and the practice of medicine. Its methodological approaches include a content analysis of popular and medical press commentary and articles on this central issue and an organizational analysis of the decision making process of one particular initiative implemented in the area of medical technology assessment and transfer. This dissertation will provide useful information for developers of methods to assess medical technologies and to transfer the results of biomedical research, will suggest ways to increase satisfaction with programs to assess technologies on the part of assessing medical technologies.